Cold Deck, Hot Lead

by Edson, John Thomas

• ISBN13: 9780060721909
• ISBN10: 0060721901
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-03-09
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publications

Summary

In this game, the winning hand is the one that holds the gun! A cardsharp with a conscience, Frank Derringer comes to the crooked town of Tribune, Kansas, looking to even a score or two. But after cheating the cheaters who robbed a good friend blind in a fixed game, Frank's escape doesn't go exactly as planned -- especially after he hooks up with a sharp-shooting lady named Martha Jane Canary, better known as "Calamity." True to her moniker, Calamity Jane's soon leading Frank into a hail of gunfire that's surrounding a dead man's dying words and a fortune in stolen gems. Now, stripped of the one edge they've both always had -- the advantage of working alone -- Frank and Jane are riding hell for leather into a deadly free-for-all and a killer's ingenious trap. And it'll take a sharp eye, a quick gun, and a strong dose of gambler's luck to keep them alive long enough to rake in the pot.

Excerpts

Cold Deck, Hot Lead

Chapter One

The moment he picked up the deck of cardsafter changing a hundred-dollar bill for Eli Nabbes,Frank Derringer knew for certain that he was sittingin a crooked game designed to take all his preciouswinnings and every cent in his pockets.

Fair enough. He had come to Tribune, Kansas,looking for just such a game. Ten days back ayoung friend had visited the town, become involvedin the game, lost all his money and receiveda bad beating when he complained. When Derringerheard of the incident, he reimbursed hisfriend's losses and travelled to Tribune with the intention of regaining the money from the gang involved.

Locating the gang took little doing, if a manknew what to look for. While a growing and busytown on the inter-continental railroad, Tribunehardly offered sufficient pickings for two such outfits.Derringer's friend could only give a vague descriptionof the bunch who had fleeced him, due to drink and the beating, but the five players in the game fitted it. So, unfortunately, might any other quintet of casually gathered card players.

Certainly up to that time Derringer had seennothing to which he could object and set as proofof the others' dishonest intentions. Up to takingthe cards only his instincts had led him to assumehe might be right.

Knowing the gang would steer clear of him if heappeared in his normal dress as a successful professionalgambler, he had made alterations to his clothing. Tall, slimly built, good-looking, his chosen profession prevented his skin from gaining the tan shown by the majority of Western men. So he looked at home in his well-tailored Eastern suit of sober brown, with a gold watch-chain stretching across his vest as an outward and visible sign of wealth. Naturally, wearing that kind of clothingprecluded his carrying his normal armament; few dudes owned Western-made gunbelts with an Army Colt in a fast-draw holster. He did not even consider picking up one of the cheap gun-rigs foisted upon dudes by store-keepers in railroad towns, for such would be fatal if the situationarose where he needed his Colt in a hurry. Instead,he placed his reliance on a stoutly constructedtwenty-seven-inch-long walking-cane with a claw-and-ball handle, developing a pronounced limp in his left leg to show cause for toting it.

Dressed and equipped suitably, Derringer set offto find the gang. That called for no greater feat ofdetection than standing in the bar of Tribune's bestsaloon and complaining in a loud tone at the lackof opportunity for gambling offered by the town.By what seemed like an accident, a well-padded,jovial-faced man spilled Derringer's drink. Insistingon making good for his clumsiness, the manstarted up a conversation. Exchanging introductions,Derringer learned the other was Lou Ferrely,a store-keeper, and declared himself to be Julius M.Main, salesman and part-owner of a cutler's business.

After which the conversation followed almosttraditional lines. Not only did Ferrely know of acard game, straight stud poker for high stakes, butalso was on his way to join it. Of course, he didnot know how the other players might act if hetook along a perfect stranger -- At which point Derringer angrily demanded to know if the otherdoubted his honesty. Ferrely hastened to assurehim that such a thought never arose and, in proofof good faith, agreed to take him along.

Shortly after leaving the saloon, Derringer witnessedsomething that made him more sure thatFerrely acted as "steerer" for the gang; picking upvictims and taking them to where his companionswaited to get to work. Ferrely told Derringersomething of the other players in the game. All, itseemed, were reputable citizens but not the kind tomildly accept being put upon. The Keebles brothers,Fenn and Bud, ran a successful ranch, fightingoff marauding Indians and outlaws with sufficientregularity to give them considerable proficiency inthe use of firearms, but small regard for the sanctityof human life. Operating a better-class hog-ranch,brothel, did not debar Joe Throck fromadmission to the game -- his money spent as well asthe next man's when he lost it. However, he hadbeen a top-grade pugilist before taking up his presentemployment and still kept himself in fightingtrim, as anybody who crossed him rapidly discovered.Although Eli Nabbes failed to come up to theother three's standard of toughness, he wasbrother-in-law to both the town marshal and justiceof the peace.

Which, as Derringer knew, served as warning tothe victim, should he feel like complaining at alater date, that any kind of objections could be adequatelyhandled. He also recalled that such warningsformed a part of every card gang's armory.

Further evidence came soon after the recital ofthe gang's prowess ended. A burly deputy marshalhalted them and demanded to speak privately toFerrely. At first Derringer felt concerned, for herecognized the peace officer and wondered if it bemutual. However, he noticed a surreptitious passingof money from Ferrely to the deputy and concludedthat it was no more than a pay-off toprevent any warning being given of the game's truenature. The deputy gave Derringer a long look inpassing, yet showed no hint of recognition. Nordid Ferrely act as if a warning had been passed, butled Derringer to a small, unassuming saloon in thepoorer section of town.

The game was held in the saloon's back room,behind a closed door that prevented the owner orcustomers seeing what went on ...

Cold Deck, Hot Lead. Copyright © by J. Edson. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

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Excerpted from Cold Deck, Hot Lead by J. T. Edson
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.